1940-10-18 — Page 38

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THE CHINA MAIL FRIDAY SUPPLEMENT, OCTOBER 18, 1940.

Adventures

From the brief and businesslike reports of R.A.F. pilots comic in- comparable stories of heroic com- bat.

From their diaries comes ma- terial for many true romances of .action. Here are a new scries of these true tales of adventure,

An American in the R.A.F.

The following report was writ- ten by a pilot whose story is uni que in the service. He is a flight- in the United lieutenant, born States, who has already shot down eight enemy aircraft and crippled

He took three or four more.

a the short service commission in Royal Air Force in 1936 and was posted to a fighter squadron. He writes:-

"I got my first German last November, it was the first enemy the aircraft to be shot down in Straits of Dover in this war. 1 was on patrol between Deal and Calais, leading a section of three Hurricanes from my squadron, when we spotted, at 12,000ft., Dornier 17 Flying Pencil.

4

"He was about 2,000ft. below us and as we hadn't seen a German machine up to then, we went down carefully to make sure. We soon recognised him as an enemy, and as I turned to attack, he tried

to attack me.

"My Hurricane very quickly outmanoeuvred him. I got on his

tail and gave him three sharp bursts of fire. Another member of the section got in three bursts also, as he dived towards the clouds.

"The last I saw of him was just above sea-level. He had turned on his back and a moment later crashed into the sea.

Of The Air-Fighters

suddenly found ourselves in the and 60 middle of between 50 Messerschmidt 100's and 110's.

"When we go back to the mess, we were handed a parcel. It con- tained a hottle of champagne with the compliments of the Sta- tion Commander!. You see, it was I was leading the flight that our first fight-and weld won! In day, and when I realised how those days, one German aircraft hopelessly outnumbered we were, I gave orders to the boys to sart was something to celebrate."

out their own targets and not to Keep; formation,

The Real War Starts

"We went over to France; on May 10, when Hitler invaded the Low Countries. We went up that same afternoon. That time we

**

Passed By The Censor

didn't see anything, but the next day, we really started.

"A Good Day"

"We broke up and began to set! about the Messerschmidts. I got a Messerschmidt 110, and other members of the flight got four

On the way back to base, I saw two Henschel 120's, one of which I shot down. I dam- aged the other with the rest of my .ammunition.

more.

our

"It was a good day. We rout-| ed an overwhelming number of: enemy fighters, beat up two of their army reconnaissance air- craft, and we all got home safely!. Our bag on that day was six. There were six of us, so we aver-; aged one each.

"There were several other days when we ran into heavy odds of enemy fighters.. It is really amaz- ing, looking back, that we should have had the success we had. But it certainly was a success day. Heinkel "We never ran into the Germans

without shooting some down.

"We carried out three patrols east of Brussels, and on the third patrol we saw three Heinkel III's. We shot down one and badly dam- aged the other two. The day after that, we got two

IP's, one of which was credited to me. I shot mine down from 12,000ft.

"All the same, those early skir- mishes were child's play to what was to come later.

On May 14, after we had escorted a number of Blenheim bombers into enemy territory, we were on our way back when we saw three Dornier 17 Flying Pencils.

"It was a trap, for when gave chase to the Dorniers,

"IT'S SUCH A RELIEF

TO PHONE MY ORDERS

THESE HOT DAYS!”

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STOUT FELLER

"Where are you going with that axe ?"

́“I'm going to do a little deforesta- tion, Bertie. There's a tree outside I've taken a dislike to. I shall fell it with one fell swoop."

»

"Rather early in the morning for tree felling, isn't it?"

“The early woodcutter, gets the first tree, you know. Besides — it's an ugly tres. There is something- offensive about that tree. Come to think of it, it rather reminds me of you, Bertie."

"Well I'must confess I didn't expect to see you chopping trees. this morning and smoking a

whacking big black cheroot. Not after last night.

13

"I don't like the way you say not after last night.. I detect a certain envy in the tone -- a certain under- current of bitterness. You ought to be overjoyed to see me absolutely bristling with joi-do-vivre.”

"I merely marvel at your powers of recovery."

"You needn't, Bertie. It's all dus 10. Ress' Lime Juice, you knatt Prevents mornings after the night before. Fur the thing before you go to hed. And now, Hertie, with your "permission I'll step our and deal our unsuspecting arboreal friend a couple of shroud cracks, with my little axe.**

we we

each

Chan Chun-wan' (centre) who won the Chinese cross har. bour race at North Point. On the winner's left is Yan Sai- kwan, the runner-up and on his right is Fung Chiu-cheong, who came third.

attacked by a stray Messerschmidt With a full moon silvering the 110, from a range of only 50 yards, tips of their wings, they disap The attack was at once returned peared towards the coast, towards and, once more, the air-gunner the channel, over the country of sew his opponent burst into flames the enemy to the Ruhr. and dive headlong to the ground.

"When we were patrolling Dunkirk, for instance, giving pro- tection day after day to the BEF, we always got a few. I remem ber once, when we found ourselves Messerschmidt 109's and 110's, we pilot had scored a number of hits in the thick of 6 squadrons of "During the duel, the German

saw an unusual type of enemy which. set the port petrol tank fighter, They were the new Hein- on fire. kel 113's. Naturally we couldn't bomber would soon be ablaze, sa It was obvious that the resist the opportunity. We got one I gave the order to abandon air of each type of enemy fighter, and craft. The observer jumped and three or four 'probables.'

made a safe landing. I then stood on the wing and was just about to jump when I saw that the rear gunner was still inside the ma- chine.

"I was attacking a Messerschmidt 110 when I suddenly realised that there were six Heinkel 113's on my tail.

I made a very quick turn to get away from them and then shot down the Heinkel 113 on the extreme left of that parti- cular formation.

of

"I was a cold and lonely wait. stood there, that they were drop- The night passed. I knew, as I

ping their bombs on the petrol dumps and the railway junctions of the Ruhr. The trees rustled in the wind. The immense build-

gs of the air force station seem- ed to grow bigger still, in the darkness. I heard a sentry's challenge and the clanging of a vast metal door.

"As morning was born over the "I realised that he was wound- horizon, the first bombers came ed and saw that his parachute back. They seemed to soar down harness had become entangled to the landing ground. Three of with his gun. I got back into them.". his cockpit, regained control "That was in the afternoon! the aircraft and brought it safely We had had an 'appetiser' before to earth in flames. I then help lunch when we met 20 Heinkel ed the gunner out of the machine, 111 Bombers. I got one. He and within a few minutes of our went down in flames. And others getting clear the aircraft. blew of the squadron got their share. up.

The Smoke of Dunkir's

"The smoke from innumerable fires in Dunkirk and other French coast towns

about was terrific

New Zealanders Over

The Ruhr

"The grass, the oaks and

"The pilot from Otago came along. He had done his job. 'It was a piece of cake,' he said. He passed in to drink a cup of coffee. There was no juss; no intensity.

"The lights of three more ap- peared! They landed. An air- gunner from Napier-jumped-out- of one of them. It was his first flight over enemy territory. He said, quite calmly, I expected to see more than I did.'

"Three more; and then

three

the more. And then seven, leaving

The following account of a visit that time. A fellow pilot describ- to a Bomber Squadron was writ ed it as being like a gigantic piece ten by an officer of the R.A.F.V.R.. of dirty cotton wool lying right from New Zealand. across the sea shore, following the coast down the Channel as far as he could see, even from two or garden before the Officers' Mess only one to come. A pilot came three miles up. There were times were essentially English. The Sta- was a mighty when we found that same smoke tion Commander of great assistance in outwitting man with a voice which launch

ed a battleship with every breath, enemy fighters.

He also was English. He stamped "One of our squadron, for in- out a cigarette, leaned back in his stance, used up all his ammuni- chair and said, 'If you'll walk in tion in shooting down two Mes- under that arch, you'll find the serschmidt 110's one day and New Zealand squadron.. They're found himself being chased by a fine lot of chaps. Damned good

navigators. Good afternoon!"

two more.

"So I walked over the hot asp- "Without ammunition he could do nothing, so he dived into the halt path and I found the Wing smoke over Dunkirk. He emerg- kind, born in Southern Canter- Commander, rotund, definite, but ed above the smoke a few miles away and there the Messersch- bury. From that moment, midts were still waiting for him. forgot England and talked of New

Zealand: A pilot joined (is'. from Otago. Then one from Stratford, who made a flight last-

They simply stuck above the smoke waiting for him to emerge,

we

few

a victim for their guns. But he. In no less than fourteen and a outwitted them by diving back. half hours over Norway, a into the smoke and was able to weeks ago, slip away home, only to be off

again into battle the same even with the bomber squadron which "For one night I was to stay

ing.

was originally formed to fly, out to New Zealand. But when war "We were stationed in France even days.

I remember that was declared, these New Zealand- when we went away the roses ers, stayed in Britain. tugre, in bud; and when we came. back they were in 'full bloom. In between, we'd had eleven plorious days of action.”

over to me and offered me a ci- garette. He said, 'It was a wi- the sort of zard, Not a cloud! You could count the trees night love was born! Somebody near by said 'Oh Yeah, He also passed on for his coffed:

"And then, 'just as we searched the sky, begging the night to yield up the last of the valiant con- pany, the lights of the last bomb- er appeared.

"And while the petrol dumps and the marshalling yards of the light, the Wing Commander from Rulir smouldered in the morning Southern Canterbury was able to write in his long book. 'All our aircraft returned safely','

WHEN CHILDREN

* OUTGROW THEIR

STRENGTH

With rapidly growing children, nourishment must keen pace with growth. When it doesn't the child "They have already made his gets, thin, pale, weedy, with no toru, over the North Sea and over energy or inclination for food. enemy territory. No less than 114 For extra pourishment, doctors sorties over Norway, Denmark, and nurses say there is nothing Germany, Holland, Belgium and better than Horlicks. It builds up France; nine amazing months dur-flesh bone and muscle by provid- ing which they have given bittering all the essential food elements punishment to the enemy with the in an cusily digestible form. It loss of only one machine.

replaces all the energy children "For my visit I had chosen the expend on work and play. "I was leading a bombing raid night of a raid over the Ruhr. As Through its delicious Bayour Hor on-strong enemy columns. After darkness came eighteen bombers Ucks stimulates the appetite so- the task had been completed, my were silhouetted against the that children get more good out aircraft was attacked by seven moonlit sky. Parks and belliger- of all their food. Messerschmidt: 100's. In the course ent- they waited. Then he phot

An Exciting Episode Here is the story of an exciting episode in the work of an R.A.F. bombing 'plane, told by the pilot:

of the pursuit the rear gunner of our bomber shot down one. Mes serschmidt in flames and disabled,

nother.

from Stratford, the cheerful ane from Otego and one who had sigh ed: with the memory of summer holidays on New Zealand kannellingen of them After that I found cover in a into lorries and, from my cloud Onenjerging from it, beside the hangar.. I spy

•hower our bomber was again bombers rise in groMPS OF

Many boys and girls at the dim-. cult age ove their success in schaalwork and of games to the {extra strength and vitality sup

plied by Horlicka Get. Horlicka

9-day at your: usual store.